No bail but best treatment to Sadhvi, orders court

See that she gets best attendance, judge tells NIA

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused bail to Sadhvi Pragnya Singh Thakur, prime accused in the case of 2008 Malegaon blast, but ordered the National Investigation Agency to grant her permission for speedy medical treatment since she is said to have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The order disposing of the bail application will be passed on Thursday pending a list defence has to submit on who will be allowed to meet the Sadhvi during her treatment and surgery.

Earlier, counsel Milan Desai told the court that she was suffering from breast cancer and needed to be tension-free to undergo treatment. When the court refused to entertain his plea for three weeks’ bail, he sought bail for at least one week.

“How do seven days prejudice anyone? What difference will it make?” Mr. Desai asked. He said the Sadhvi had to go without food for three days in the Bhopal hospital in June, and had to purchase drinking water from police constables there.

“What is this? You should take care of all this,” Justice R.C. Chavan told the NIA.

The NIA, meanwhile, submitted an affidavit opposing the bail plea. “We have no objection to her treatment. Right from day one, she has been getting VIP treatment. There is no need to grant her bail. We have no problem in sending her to any hospital,” said Special Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian, who complained that it was the Sadhvi who was not cooperating with doctors for her treatment.

All curbs will go

Thereafter, the court told defence that 15 days or one-week bail would not be of much help to the accused as her illness is prolonged. “Whatever you want [for aiding in treatment], tell me. All restrictions would be removed. But no bail,” the judge told counsel.

Justice Chavan directed the NIA to send women police personnel to Bhopal, where the Sadhvi is now facing trial in the case of murder of Sunil Joshi, an RSS worker and suspect in Samjhauta Express blast. “See that she gets the best treatment, the best attendance. See that she is given water. This [what happened in the Bhopal hospital last month] should not happen again,” he told the NIA.